


One Kiss

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-19 22:47:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19981801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: They all decide to do one last thing together, the senior play. In the end it gives Ellie and Nick the one push they needed.





	One Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> For anon, sorry I changed it up! 
> 
> Doesn't focus on the play, just using it as a reason. 
> 
> This definitely isn't my best but I hope you guys enioy it.

Not everyone was lucky to have a good group of friends during their high school years. Ellie was so sure she'd be the one to struggle through the four years with either one friend or none, that she'd eat her lunches in the library alone, have no one to talk to when someone decided to pick on her, or she'd watch as her classmates had a good time in the halls with friends while she walked alone.  
  
Luck seemed to be on her side. In her first few days of Freshman year she got partnered with Delilah for one of those 'getting to know' people exercises the teachers forced on them the first week, and they seemed to click instantly. It wasn't too long before Delilah's crush Tim joined them at lunches and soon their group became three, Jimmy was next when he and Tim became friends after Tim stood up for him in front of a bully, next was Kasie who literally came crashing into their group when she tripped and fell into a very flustered Jimmy.   
  
Last to join them was Nick in their Sophomore year. He was the complete opposite of them, they were kind of geeky if she was being honest which is why they all fit together so nicely, but Nick was on the soccer team and fit in with the popular crowd so effortlessly like he was born into it. He was practically the only jock that wasn't a jerk, and when his 'friends' tried picking on them, he'd tell them to back off. But in the middle of the school year, the four friends watched in horror too far away to do anything when Kasie was shoved at the top of the stairs from the second floor. They all ran towards her, all of them knowing they wouldn't be able to stop it.   
  
Nick seemed to come out of nowhere, running up the steps and catching Kasie in his hold. Kasie began having a panic attack when they reached her, the almost accident freaking her out. Ellie had stepped forward to help her calm down when Nick calmly helped her control her breathing, speaking to her in a soft tone they never heard from him before.   
  
The next morning the guy who shoved her showed up with a black eye and a limp, and they all watched as the guy's football teammates glared at Nick but didn't do a thing. Nick was then seen avoiding his supposed friends on the soccer team, until word spread that Nick had quit the team..but not before all their uniforms were mysteriously turned bright pink.   
  
Kasie had been the one to one day come dragging Nick by the wrist towards their lunch spot on the bench behind the stairwell. And just like that, he became a part of the group. He was a little rough around the edges at first and was different from them, but he somehow just seemed to belong.   
  
It was now their Senior year, the stress of their future upon them along with extra curricular activities to add last minute things to their transcripts.   
  
Which is why they all decided to do one last thing together for school, joining the Senior play. Even a very reluctant Nick. It had taken some begging, but Nick gave in and decided to join 'his nerds', as he called them.   
  
The play was the typical take on an unpopular girl-popular boy romance, but it still caught interest as most Seniors participated in the play.   
  
Ellie was determined to not hide in the shadows, to play Eve, the female lead. It didn't help her nerves that she was the last person to audition, but she was also thankful for it as it meant the only people who would be in the auditorium by now were her friends.   
  
She slipped through the doors, her friends sitting on the edge of the stage looked up.  
  
"Well? How'd it go?" Delilah asked.  
  
Ellie shrugged. "Good, I think?" She let out a groan. "I was really nervous."  
  
"I'm sure you did great!" Kasie said encouragingly with a grin. "All the other girls trying out for Eve could never connect with the character the way you do!"   
  
"She's got a point." Tim pointed out, Jimmy nodding in agreement.  
  
"Yeah but they're also basing who gets the roles of Eve and Noah off of chemistry." Ellie huffed. "I don't have chemistry with any of the guys who auditioned for Noah!"  
  
"I'm sure it'll be fine, Ellie." Nick told her, jumping off the stage. "Come on, we'll go get some ice cream from _Mr. Scoops_ , maybe we can convince Ed to give you a free ice cream on account of you landing the big part." He grinned, throwing an arm around her shoulders.   
  
Ellie beamed at him. "But we've been going there forever and Ed has _never_ given his customers free ice cream before!"  
  
"I can be persuasive if I really try." Nick winked, making Ellie roll her eyes and elbow his side.   
  
Tim cleared his throat, mischief in his eyes. "Isn't Ed still mad at you for flirting with his wife?"  
  
Muffled laughter came from the other three, Ellie bit her lip hard not to laugh herself as Nick glared. "Aw come on man! She was flirting with me!"  
  
"Oh yeah, the forty year old woman was flirting with the seventeen year old." Tim said sarcastically, quickly dodging Nick's punch that he tried landing on Tim's arm.   
  
"You're a dick, Timothy McGee." Nick grumbled.   
  
"Hey guys come on-" Jimmy began saying, trying not to smile. "To be fair, Nick was purposely wearing that tight t-shirt he wears to get attention-"  
  
"Oh that is it!" Nick shouted. Tim and Jimmy exchanged looks and ran, Nick right on their heels. Their laughter getting cut off when the auditorium doors closed behind them.   
  
"Children." Delilah said with a sigh. "All three of them."  
  
Ellie chuckled. "I say we go to _Mr. Scoops_ anyway, I mean it's only a matter of time before they show up after Nick catches them."  
  
"Agreed." Kasie nodded, stepping between the two and looping her arms through theirs. "I don't know why they always think they can outrun him."   
  
All three girls looked at each other with grins.  
  
"Boys."  
  
"But speaking of boys-" Delilah started to say once they began walking out. "Didn't take Nick long to lift your spirits." She teased.  
  
Ellie groaned. "Come on, not this again!"  
  
"But Ellie-" Kasie grinned. "You looooove him."  
  
"I hate you both."  
  
They both laughed, Ellie's cheeks pink the whole walk to _Mr. Scoops_.   
  
By the time the guys showed up, the girls were already sitting at their usual table in the corner with ice cream in front of them. They exchanged grins when they saw Tim and Jimmy's ruffled clothes hinting that Nick had most likely tackled them.   
  
"You got some without us!" Jimmy whined.   
  
"Hey no!" Delilah scolded, smacking her boyfriends hand away when Tim tried to grab her spoon. "Get your own!"  
  
Kasie narrowed her eyes at Jimmy who was also eyeing hers. "Touch it and you die."  
  
Jimmy's eyes widened. "I'll just get my own then."  
  
He scrambled towards the line, Tim right behind him.   
  
Ellie was so busy watching them she hadn't noticed Nick sitting beside her steal her spoon. She shook her head at her friends, finally looking down to see her spoon missing..and in Nick's mouth. "Nick!"  
  
He froze, spoon still in his mouth. Slowly he took it out, swallowing the ice cream. "I'm sorry?"  
  
Kasie leaned forward from her spot across the table, eyes gleaming. "You know that was like an indirect kiss."   
  
Delilah covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with laughter.  
  
Ellie felt her cheeks color again, turning to smack Nick on the arm. "Go get me another spoon you weirdo!"  
  
"What?" Nick leaned in with a grin. "You don't want my indirect kisses?"  
  
"Nick!" She squeaked, giving his arm a shove.   
  
He laughed loudly but got up heading towards the counter right as Tim and Jimmy came back. Delilah eagerly told them what happened when they eyed Ellie's red face.   
  
Nick came back minutes later, sliding not only a new spoon but new ice cream towards her, taking the one she had. Ellie looked at him oddly while the others exchanged secret smiles. "Nick..I only asked for a new spoon."  
  
He shrugged with a smile, the one that gave her stomach butterflies. "Figured I owe you one."  
  
"Thanks." She said softly, smiling back.   
  
She made the mistake of glancing up at Delilah who grinned mouthing 'he so loves you'. Ellie ducked her head, her face turning red again especially when she felt Nick's leg press against hers under the table.  
  
Ellie wasn't stupid, she knew there were mutual feelings between them. But both of them were too afraid of ruining their friendship. And if it didn't work out, it would also affect their friends too..and was that really a risk they, especially her, was willing to take?

* * *

  
  
  
A week later the friends were once again sitting on the auditorium stage, except this time it was Ellie and Nick walking towards them. Both acting a little awkwardly.  
  
"So?" Delilah pressed. "Why did Mrs. Conrad ask to see both of you?"  
  
"I um..got the part of Eve." Ellie said, shifting on her feet.   
  
Her friends cheered congratulating her, but stopped when neither her nor Nick joined in.   
  
"What else happened? What about you Nick?" Tim asked with a frown.   
  
"I..got the part of Noah."   
  
"Wait-" Kasie held her hand up. "You auditioned for the background role of one of Noah's friends."  
  
"Yeah, you said you would be in the play but refused to be in one of the main roles." Jimmy added.  
  
"Yeah well." Nick huffed a little. "Apparently regardless of me not even auditioning for the part, they saw chemistry between Ellie and I that they liked."   
  
Kasie suddenly squealed, making all of them flinch. "Wait wait! That means you two will be kissing!"  
  
Delilah sat up straight, grin forming. "That's right! Eve and Noah kiss for the closing scene at the end!"  
  
"About that-" Ellie bit her lip. "Mrs. Conrad believes it'll be better if we didn't practice the kiss scene.."  
  
Nick rubbed the back of his neck. "So it won't be happening..until opening night."  
  
"Oh my god." Kasie pressed the palm of her hands together. "This is the best thing ever!"  
  
Nick groaned. "Okay seriously, cool it."  
  
"You guys!" Ellie said with a slight whine. "Do you get how weird and awkward this is?!"  
  
" _No_." They all said simultaneously.  
  
Ellie and Nick groaned.   
  


* * *

  
  
Ellie didn't always like Nick as more than a friend, but it wasn't until a moment in the summer before Junior year that changed her feelings.  
  
 _Ellie and Nick were walking to her house from the local pool when they heard a noise coming from a small hole in the wall of the building next to them._  
  
 _"Did you-" Ellie began to say, but then it happened again. This time it was clearer, a tiny meow._  
  
 _They exchanged looks, Nick motioned for her phone and Ellie handed it to him without question. Nick turned on the flashlight and got down on his knees to look inside. Ellie ducked down, feeling her heart ache at the view of the tiny black and white kitten inside._  
  
 _"Is it stuck?" Ellie asked worriedly._  
  
 _Nick shook his head. "No, just seems scared."_  
  
 _He quickly turned off the flashlight handing her phone back before sitting on the ground near the hole. Ellie looked at him oddly. "Uh Nick?"_  
  
 _Instead of answering, he leaned in towards the entrance. "I know you're scared in there, but I'm staying right here until you come out buddy."_  
  
 _As if understanding him, the kitten meowed from inside._  
  
 _Ellie stared at him with her mouth hanging open a little. She wasn't expecting that. Was he really going to sit there and wait?_  
  
 _"You don't have to stay Ellie, but I'm not going anywhere."_  
  
 _"Then neither am I." She told him softly, sitting down a little behind him as not to startle the cat too bad if it came out._  
  
 _Nick looked at her and smiled._  
  
 _They sat there for three hours by the time the cat slowly came out._  
  
 _"Hey buddy." Nick said softly in almost a whisper. Slowly holding his hand out towards the kitten when it fully came out. It carefully smelled his hand, and Nick still moving slowly went to pet the cat._  
  
 _Ellie held her breath expecting it to either run or go back inside but it didn't. It instead leaned into Nick's touch with a meow._  
  
 _"See, not so scary is it?" Nick said with a grin._  
  
 _Twenty minutes later they were walking again, the small kitten in Nicks arms. Ellie continued to look at him in awe the whole time. He had been so patient and gentle, and Ellie felt her feelings shift as if someone flipped a switch as she watched him pet the cat and talk to it the whole way back._  
  
Nick on the other hand, liked her from the start. He would watch her from down the hall every now and then, jealous of the friendship her group had and wondering what would happen if he said screw it to the social norms of high school and just walked up to her. It was his first time talking with her that he knew he was hooked.   
  
_Nick walked down the empty hallway quickly, his detention was over and all he wanted to do was leave. But then he spotted her at her locker, right as all the books she was carrying fell to the floor, the noise echoing in the empty hall._  
  
 _He didn't even think about it as he walked over, picking up the books she hadn't yet._  
  
 _"T-Thanks." She bit her lip, reaching for her books but Nick shook his head._  
  
 _"I can carry them for you." He said with a shrug, hoping he didn't sound like a creep. "I mean, better then dropping them again, right?"_  
  
 _Ellie blinked at him before seeming to shake herself out of it. "Right! Um, thanks again."_  
  
 _Nick smiled following beside her as they walked to the student parking lot. "So..Ellie right?"_  
  
 _"Yeah." She looked shocked at him knowing her name. "I- didn't think you'd know my name."_  
  
 _"Why?" Nick raised an eyebrow. "We have a lot of the same classes."_  
  
 _"Yeah but..we're- different."_  
  
 _"So? What's wrong with that?"_  
  
 _Ellie quickly answered. "Nothing! Nothing at all! I just-"_  
  
 _"Relax Ellie." He said with a chuckle. "I'm only joking, I get what you mean."_  
  
 _Her cheeks turned a slight pink, she stopped at a truck. "Well uh..this is me."_  
  
 _Nick swallowed down his disappointment that his time talking to her was over. "Right.. here-" He handed her books over. "Sorry for holding them hostage."_  
  
 _Ellie set the books down on the passenger seat and laughed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "It's okay, it's nice to know some guys still know how to be a gentleman."_  
  
 _"No problem." Nick grinned. "Guess I'll see you around then."_  
  
 _She nodded with a returning smile. "Guess you will."_  
  
 _Nick started walking backwards. "Have a good night, Ellie."_  
  
 _"You too, Nick." Ellie gave a small wave and a large smile before getting into her truck._  
  
 _Nick had a grin on his face as he walked to his own car._  
  


* * *

  
They were a month into rehearsals when Nick was mysteriously absent. Ellie felt a sick feeling in her stomach the whole time, Mrs. Conrad still kept rehearsals going but let her and the others step aside every now and then to either call Nick or check their phones for any messages. But there was nothing until rehearsals ended.   
  
"Let me know tomorrow if you hear from him, got it?" Mrs. Conrad told them before she left, everyone else shuffling out the door talking excitedly about the play.   
  
"Of course." Ellie said, giving their director a shaky smile.  
  
"I'm sure he's fine Ellie." She told her, but it did nothing to calm the twisting feeling growing.  
  
When Mrs. Conrad left, Delilah opened her mouth to speak but got cut off by Ellie's phone ringing. She yanked it out of her pocket. "It's Nick!" She never answered a call so fast in her life.  
  
"Nick! Where are you?!"  
  
 _"Uh Ellie..promise not to freak out?"_  
  
"What? Why would I freak out?!"   
  
_"You're freaking out.."_  
  
"I'm not freaking out!"  
  
"Ellie? What the hell is going on?" Tim whispered a little harshly. The others obviously growing impatient. Ellie held up her hand for them to wait.   
  
_"I'm at the hospital."_  
  
"The hospital?!" She shouted, getting wide eyed looks in return.  
  
 _"Look..I just- I need a ride home and Lucia is out of state visiting George's family."_  
  
"Of course we'll be right there!"  
  
She hung up before he could say anything more. Ellie felt a headache start to form as she rubbed her forehead. "Nick is at the hospital, he sounds fine but needs a ride home." She mumbled.  
  
They shared worried looks, Delilah quickly grabbed Ellie's bag and took her keys. "Well no way are you driving."  
  
"What?" Ellie frowned. "I'm fine to drive!"  
  
"Ellie." Kasie grabbed her hands in hers. "You're shaking."  
  
She looked down, swallowing at the sight of her obvious shaking hands in Kasie's hold. "Oh.."  
  
"Come on, let's go see what's going on." Tim said, nodding towards the doors.   
  
When they got to the hospital they were eventually directed towards a small room, all of them stopped short when they walked in. Nick sat on the edge of the hospital bed in the green scrubs they sometimes let you wear if you're clothes were ruined, a bruise along with cuts on his face, his left arm obviously broken, and from the way he was sitting most likely bruised under the scrubs.   
  
"Oh god Nick." Ellie breathed out with her hand covering her mouth. She couldn't stop the way tears formed in her eyes.   
  
"It's not as bad as it looks." He mumbled.  
  
"Not as bad as it looks?!" Delilah scoffed. "Nick, you look like shit!"  
  
"Wow thanks..what every guy wants to hear 'Lilah." Nick said sarcastically.   
  
"What happened?" Tim asked with a frown.   
  
Before answering, Nick looked at Ellie who was now completely shaking, a lost look on her face. He held out his good arm giving her a small smile. Ellie sniffled and went to him, being careful not to hurt him as he wrapped his arm around her comfortingly. She couldn't help the way it shook her seeing him like this. He was _Nick_ , tough and practically indestructible (obviously she knew he wasn't..).   
  
Nick sighed. "Football team."  
  
"What why?!" Jimmy said, eyes widening. "I mean we know they hate you, but they always just ignored your existence."  
  
"'Cause of the play." Nick said tiredly. "There wasn't much I could do as they all kicked me but listen to them mock and throw insults about it."   
  
Tim cursed, gritting his teeth. They all eyed him a little nervously, Tim was never the one to get angry. "Well we're not letting them get away with this."  
  
"Tim-"  
  
"They assaulted you Nick!"  
  
"I don't want the police involved Tim!" Nick said harshly in a low tone.   
  
"Fine." Tim huffed. "Then we handle them ourselves. They can't just get away with this regardless."  
  
"Come on man-"  
  
"No." Tim clenched his jaw. "How many times have you stuck up for us Nick? How many times have you put your neck on the line to protect us? You always have our backs, so let us have yours for once."  
  
"He's got a point." Jimmy said softly. Delilah and Kasie nodding in agreement.  
  
"That's different, you guys are my nerds and only I can be an asshole to you guys-"  
  
"Same goes for us Nick." Jimmy interrupted. "We're not just sitting back passing them in the hall like they didn't do this."  
  
"They hate you because of you protecting me before we were even friends." Kasie said softly. "The least I can do is this."  
  
"Just shut up and let us do something." Ellie mumbled against him, her shaking now stopped but she didn't move away from him.   
  
Nick sighed heavily. "Fine..I have something you can use against them."  
  
"Well spit it out Torres." Delilah said, all of them leaning closer.  
  


* * *

  
A week later the whole football team was missing from school except for two. The scandal spread like wildfire not only in the school but through the town and neighboring towns. It may have just been a high school team but all competing sports teams were required to take a drug test. All except for those two, failed. They had been tricking the tests into a false negative by switching out the results. 

Nick had known about it as rumors spread throughout the other sports teams, but none of the other teams dared touch the steroids the football team used. He got his confirmation of the rumors one day after detention when he overheard two of the guys talking about it by the locker rooms.

* * *

  
  
Rehearsals continued, and thankfully by the time opening night came around, Nick's arm was healed.   
  
Ellie though felt like she was going to puke as she peeked out from behind the curtain from the side to see the full auditorium.   
  
"You'll be great." Delilah said behind her. Ellie turned to her two girl friends. "Just focus on your lines and whoever you're doing the scene with and you'll be fine."  
  
"You're amazing Ellie." Kasie added in. "No one can play Eve better than you, and for most of the scenes you'll have Nick right with you."  
  
Ellie shifted on her feet. Delilah and Kasie exchanged a look.  
  
"You're not nervous about the play." Delilah said in realization. "You're nervous about kissing Nick."  
  
"Yeah." Ellie mumbled.   
  
"You know..you guys could have just kissed on your own so the first kiss wasn't in front of a crowd of people." Kasie pointed out. Ellie groaned making the two chuckle.   
  
"Why didn't we think of that?!"  
  
Delilah snorted. "Probably because you two acted like it wasn't happening..and now it is."  
  
"Hey Eve!" Nick teased as he walked over, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "You ready to shine?"  
  
"No." Ellie said simply.  
  
Nick rolled his eyes. "Well too late for that, the show starts in five minutes. Mrs. Conrad sent me over here to tell you guys to get into your places."  
  
Delilah and Kasie wished them good luck before scurrying away.  
  
He turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Take a breath Ellie, soak it all up while you can."  
  
She breathed.   
  


* * *

  
  
Her heart raced when the time came, the last lines of the play.   
  
_"I hope you realize this doesn't have a good chance of ending anything other than badly."_ Ellie said as Eve, standing in front of Nick in the middle of the stage.   
  
Their eyes were locked, his hand coming up to tuck her hair slowly behind her ear as his eyes glanced at her lips.   
  
_"You're worth the risk, Eve. For once in your life, just take a chance."_  
  
 _"But if it does end badly?"_  
  
 _"It'll have been worth it..just to be with you, however long that is."_  
  
 _"Noah..I-"_  
  
Nick slowly leaned forward, Ellie's eyes fluttering closed seconds before his lips touched hers. Neither of them could see the single spotlight on them, and as Ellie kissed him back wrapping her arms around his neck and the light slowly dimmed to black, clapping and cheers erupted from the audience.   
  
They didn't pull away even as the curtain closed and their friends and castmates grinned at each other or giggled from the sidelines watching the pair.  
  
Instead Ellie threaded her fingers through Nick's hair, and his arms wrapped around her waist pulling her against him.   
  
It seems all that was needed was _one kiss._   
  



End file.
